Erik ten Hag has paid the price for snubbing ‘exceptional’ United star v Palace

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Erik ten Hag’s progress this season collapsed against Crystal Palace on Saturday in the absence of Hannibal Mejbri.

After three consecutive losses, many thought last Saturday’s win over Burnley marked the beginning of a new chapter for Manchester United. Notably, this also featured the start of Hannibal Mejbri’s senior Old Trafford career, with the 20-year-old hugely impressive at Turf Moor.

This display earned him the right to start midweek against Crystal Palace in the cup seeing a 3-0 victory as he played 71 minutes. Both these games showcased Hannibal’s incredible tenacious attitude which made him unbeatable in the press.

Yet as the team-sheets were announced on the final day of September, Hannibal’s name lay with the substitutes. To make matters worse, he was snubbed from appearing all together.

Hannibal deserves to be playing

Similarly to the situation with his teammate, Alejandro Garnacho, Hannibal was dropped in a move which saw a serious deterioration in performance levels from the team.

The reason United found it so easy against Palace in the cup, was due to the midfield doing all the running and pressing which kept Palace firmly locked in their own half.

While United did dominate on Saturday also, the decision making just wasn’t there for United which left Erik ten Hag slamming his side. But it was Ten Hag who decided to drop two of the best decision makers from midweek.

Hannibal has earned the right to play, and Ten Hag not playing him has cost the Dutch boss three points and another loss at Old Trafford.

‘Exceptional’ Mejbri to start on Tuesday?

After Hannibal’s first game against Burnley, he was lauded as being ‘exceptional‘ by former United defender and MUTV pundit Wes Brown. So it only makes sense he is straight back into the line-up against Galatasaray on Tuesday.

I imagine that Ten Hag will stick Facundo Pellistri on the bench after he struggled with his full Premier League debut. Therefore the move could be Bruno on the right, with Hannibal back in midfield.